1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable terminal. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hinge device for a portable terminal and a portable terminal having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a portable terminal is an appliance used to provide wireless communication between users or between a user and a service provider using telecommunication base stations. In addition to voice communication service, portable terminals provide various content, including short message service (SMS), mobile banking, television, online games, and video on demand (VOD).
Portable terminals may be classified into several type of terminals based on their appearance. Bar-type terminals have input and output devices (including a communication circuit, a transmitter unit, and a receiver unit) installed on a single housing. Flip-type terminals have a flip cover installed on a bar-type housing. Folder-type terminals have a pair of housings rotated to fold towards or unfold away from each other (the input and output devices are distributed on the corresponding housings). Sliding-type terminals have a pair of housings adapted to linearly reciprocate to be opened or closed. Swing-type terminals have a pair of housing adapted to rotate while facing each other to be opened or closed. Together with folder-type terminals, sliding-type and swing-type terminals have recently appeared to satisfy users' various tastes with improved portability and user convenience. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate these various classifications of portable terminals.
Flip-type or folder-type terminals have a hinge device to rotatably couple the housing to a flip cover or to another housing. In general, the hinge device of portable terminals is positioned between a housing and a flip cover or another housing to provide the flip cover or one of the housings with a rotation axis, as well as a rotational force depending on the opening/closing angle.
For example, a first housing of a folder-type terminal has a pair of side hinge arms. The hinge arms are spaced apart from and face each other. The second housing has a center hinge arm that is located between and rotatably coupled to the side hinge arms. The folder-type terminal has a hinge device contained in the side hinge arms or the center hinge arm to provide a rotation axis and a rotational force.
Various types of a hinge devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,292,980 (Sep. 25, 2001).
The assembly process for conventional hinge devices for portable terminals is inconvenient, and limits the design of the terminal. This is because the center hinge arm of the flip cover or one of the housings must be coupled between the side hinge arms while a hinge module or hinge dummy is coupled to both ends of the center hinge arm.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved hinge apparatus for portable terminals.